Former Twins Lefty and Closer Hits Waivers

[Matthew Lenz]

The San Francisco Giants have put lefty reliever Taylor Rogers on waivers. The former Minnesota Twins closer would be a welcome addition to a bullpen that has struggled of late.

Image courtesy of © D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

The lack of moves at the trade deadline has been well covered at this point. The recent struggles of the Twins bullpen, as a group, have led to some crucial losses over the last two weeks, highlighted by designating their lone deadline acquisition, Trevor Richards, for assignment. Taylor Rogers isn't the pitcher he once was with the Minnesota Twins, but would be more than serviceable as a medium-leverage lefty out of his former team's bullpen. Let's take a look at how he's performed for the Giants this year, and how’d he fit into the Twins bullpen hierarchy.

Rogers has been used as a low- to medium-leverage option with the Giants this year, with roughly 90% of his 51 ⅓ innings coming in one of those two situations. He's produced a 2.45 ERA and a sterling 20.6 K%-BB%, but has become a bit more of a fly ball pitcher since his days donning a Twins uniform. His peripherals suggest he’s still a solid reliever, with a 3.44 FIP and a 3.09 SIERA with an elite hard-hit percentage. His sweeper and sinker have both been plus pitches the last two seasons, with run values of 2 and 5, respectively.

Of course, the hang up with the Twins will be the fact he is owed a little more than $2 million for the rest of 2024 and $12 million for all of 2025. For reference, despite the solid season, FanGraphs values his production thus far to be worth just $2.1 million…a far cry from the nearly $10 million the Giants have paid him. While that likely counts the Twins out of making a claim, it really shouldn't, given the state of their bullpen and their standing in the race to October. Hypothetically, if the Twins were to get wild and pay up for a middling reliever, he would help bridge the gap in the middle of the Twins bullpen.

In a peculiar, maybe meaningless turn of events, Rogers has reverse splits in 2024. While he's always dominated lefties throughout his career, this year, he's allowed a .772 OPS to lefties and a .668 OPS to righties. While that’s not necessarily what the Twins are looking for, their recent bullpen implosions indicate they should be willing to accept anyone who can improve the relief corps. And while Twins manager Rocco Baldelli uses his pitchers (well, almost all his players) situationally, Rogers would be the perfect bridge between the low and high-leverage relievers. For me, he would slot just below the likes of Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Cole Sands, competing with Jorge Alcalá and Caleb Thielbar for medium-leverage opportunities.

Like they've done too many times to count, the front office has whiffed on pitchers with question marks in 2024. While this is largely because of the self-imposed salary cap from ownership, reuniting with Rogers would be a no-brainer from productivity and morale standpoints. Unfortunately, ownership has shown over and over again they care more about the bottom line than the morale of the team.

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Do you think the Twins should add Taylor Rogers? Join the conversation in the comments!

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[Whitey333]

No way will the Twins bring back Roger's.  Like the story said it's too much .only for ownership. End of story.  End of discussion.  Truth is the ownership doesn't deserve to have this team make the playoffs and reap any profits from post season play.  They have abandoned the team and it's fans.  It's time for the fans to abandon ownership.

[Reptevia]

They are desperate enough. No way they’ll pay though. 

[mikelink45]

You answered your own question.  If they thought they could get rid of the huge contract for next year they might, but that is the albatross hanging around Taylor's neck. 

+She's the albatross
She is here to destroy you
Devils that you know
Raise worse hell than a stranger
She's the death you chose
You're in terrible danger"

 

The Albatross

Song by Taylor Swift

 

 

[USAFChief]

First: the Twins aren't taking on even the $2m left this year, much less $12m next year. That's crazy talk.

I doubt any team claims Rogers. If he clears waivers, and San Francisco is picking up the tab he'll have multiple suitors. 

2. It astounds me relievers are still referred to as "low leverage," "medium leverage," or the like.

It's lazy and inaccurate.

 

[D.C Twins]

39 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

You answered your own question.  If they thought they could get rid of the huge contract for next year they might, but that is the albatross hanging around Taylor's neck. 

+She's the albatross
She is here to destroy you
Devils that you know
Raise worse hell than a stranger
She's the death you chose
You're in terrible danger"

 

The Albatross

Song by Taylor Swift

 

 

I thought the easier T Swift reference would be 

[LambchoP]

Twins won't pay as everyone said already. Now, if he clears waivers, he couldn't be worse than Theilbar right?

[saviking]

30 minutes ago, LambchoP said:

Twins won't pay as everyone said already. Now, if he clears waivers, he couldn't be worse than Theilbar right?

exactly! No one is going to claim him off waivers. You would need to negotiate with him like any free agent ..

[TopGunn#22]

Let's assume he clears waivers, which is not out of the question.  If it becomes a free for all with suitors, the Twins should be going tooth and nail to bring him back.  It's hard not to emphatically agree that Twins ownership, and to a lesser degree (but still warranted) front office doesn't deserve a Twins post season since they haven't done anything to earn it.  But as a fan, I would love to see this reunion and see the Twins in the postseason.  

[AKTwinsFan]

I like Ronny Henriquez as a leverage arm, and Tonkin. I thought Winder and Blewett were showing signs of good pitching but Baldelli keeps DFAing them.

[jccracraft]

Thielbar medium leverage? C'mon, he's cooked. Proved it again last night.

[LA Vikes Fan]

2 hours ago, LambchoP said:

Twins won't pay as everyone said already. Now, if he clears waivers, he couldn't be worse than Theilbar right?

 

1 hour ago, Bigfork Twins Guy said:

I agree with TopGunn... After he clears waivers the team should go at him hard.  Maybe give him his 2MM for the remainder of this year and a team option for next year.  That way, if he performs well the rest of this year we can lock him up for one more.  If he does not go for the team option, revert to the mutual option.  Anything to get the BP improved for this run would be helpful.

Guys, if what MLB trade rumors says is correct, the Giants don't have to release Rogers if he clears waivers. If he clears, they have to pay the rest of his salary so they'll just keep him. He's on waivers, not a DFA. This is a straight salary dump - if someone will take his contract he's gone, if not, he stays. He's still under contract if he clears waivers and isn't available unless he's claimed or is released. 

Giants Place Thairo Estrada, Taylor Rogers On Waivers - MLB Trade Rumors

 

[LA Vikes Fan]

12 minutes ago, jccracraft said:

Thielbar medium leverage? C'mon, he's cooked. Proved it again last night.

Agreed. I think Theilbar may be the guy to DFA so we can get both Varland and Winder in the bullpen while still keeping Henriquez and Blewett out there. One can come up when the staff expands by one on 9/1, the other for Theilbar. Yes, that means no LH relief, but Theilbar hasn't shown he can reliably get LH hitters out for a while now.  It's sad, but time for him to ride off into the sunset. 

[mrcharlie]

4 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

No way will the Twins bring back Roger's.  Like the story said it's too much .only for ownership. End of story.  End of discussion.  Truth is the ownership doesn't deserve to have this team make the playoffs and reap any profits from post season play.  They have abandoned the team and it's fans.  It's time for the fans to abandon ownership.

Ownership does not understand the entertainment business.  MLB is an entertainment business and to be successful the product must be attractive.  

[LA Vikes Fan]

6 minutes ago, mrcharlie said:

Ownership does not understand the entertainment business.  MLB is an entertainment business and to be successful the product must be attractive.  

Truer words were never spoken. Sports are entertainment. That business requires taking risk to be successful; you have to spend money to put out a good product with no guarantee it will be successful. The successful owners in sports* are entrepreneurial, take risk, and are willing to absorb losses if the risks backfire. The Twins owners don't do that and as a result are less successful. 

*That is sports other than pro football where the combination of huge TV revenue and a salary cap means you basically cannot lose money. Even the truly incompetent in the NFL make a profit. 

[old nurse]

4 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

No way will the Twins bring back Roger's.  Like the story said it's too much .only for ownership. End of story.  End of discussion.  Truth is the ownership doesn't deserve to have this team make the playoffs and reap any profits from post season play.  They have abandoned the team and it's fans.  It's time for the fans to abandon ownership.

Are you really a fan if you just show up when the team is leading the division. Last year with a division winning team and 2 pitchers in Cy Young contention they couldn’t draw 2 million. 

[TwinsDr2021]

1 hour ago, old nurse said:

Are you really a fan if you just show up when the team is leading the division. Last year with a division winning team and 2 pitchers in Cy Young contention they couldn’t draw 2 million. 

So spending time to watch the games, listen to it on the radio or following it online but deciding on how to spend your money makes you not a fan? Kind of a high bar, no?

[PatPfund]

If it was just the $2 million this year, you could razz ownership for not taking a shot, but next year makes it toxic. Period. The Twins' payroll next year is at its worst confluence of peak salaries (Correa, Buxton, Lopez), and a TV contract situation that might be worse than ever. No way I want a washed up reliever eating up $12 million, just so we can lock down (maybe) a wild card berth this year. Hell, $12 million is just about what Lorenzen and Lugo are making this year, and some here want to waste it on the ghost of Taylor Rogers?! Just freakin' convert Varland, and hope some of the hurt players get better. (If they don't along with some of the healthy players getting better, a couple dozen relief innings isn't going to matter much anyway.)

[USAFChief]

4 hours ago, jccracraft said:

Thielbar medium leverage? C'mon, he's cooked. Proved it again last night.

What he proved last night is there's no such thing as a "medium leverage" or "low leverage" reliever.

They're all high leverage.

Thielbar was brought into a 1-1 game in the 7th inning last  night. Nothing low or medium leverage about that.

Every reliever on your team is going to be asked to pitch meaningful, important innings, with the game close, many times. More often than not.  

MLB games are usually close. You're getting 3 to 5 innings most every night. Do the math.

[Trov]

No way will they pay 12 mil for him for next year.  Also, he has a negative WPA this year. 

[old nurse]

On 8/29/2024 at 12:48 PM, TwinsDr2021 said:

So spending time to watch the games, listen to it on the radio or following it online but deciding on how to spend your money makes you not a fan? Kind of a high bar, no?

What I responded to was someone saying fans should abandon owners.  How do you measure abandonment.? Ratings and attendance. I am not going to look up Twins radio rating, attendance is easier to find.. I didn’t not say that spending money was the only way to be a fan. You for some unknown reason took it there, I suppose if you are indignant about something , it is your only recourse. Sorry I did not type a complete listing of every different way there was to be a fan for  you to measure front running fans.